its interesting that the transfer window highlights how digital football fans think. We seem no different on here. Will the new owners make us a selling club yes / no, does the manager sign players yes / no, did we rate Potts Yes / No. Taking a look at what has been said and how we really act is much different. The new owners clearly stated they would run the club on similar principles to the recent past with perhaps a bit extra funds to help. Also the digital view of us selling Potts needs to be balanced with what Potts himself and his agents position was. These things seem more complex than whether Stendel rates him or not or if the club needs 1.5m+. There should be therefore no surprises in how the Potts deal happened. Regarding the transfers process it’s clear the days have gone when a manager decides and signs players alone. Today this is a team effort. Players and agents have a big say. We have made no secret of the fact that the club management scout, evaluate and shortlist players. We also have on many occasions said that the head coach and his team have input through the process. Hecky was vocal in how much he was overloaded when the CEO at that time left. Recruitment is much more of an analogue process than just the manager selling and buying. I’m 100% convinced that the club will have a plan for Potts replacement. Whether we can execute it is where the complexity and difficulties occur. The real measure of the club for me is whether they can create a situation of long term stability for the club whilst still being competitive and successful on the pitch. Quite a large challenge and very few clubs actually achieve this consistently. Right now we are on the borderline of football success in the context of today and seem to have the clubs future in an ok position. Let’s see how the club react in this window which I would argue needs to support and focus on the pitch footballing success at this point in the season.
Had this conversation with people at work, fans who haven't actually been for years, saying that it's just typical of Barnsley to sell their best players but I don't think it works like that at all - if a player wants to leave you can't really stop them. If we were clear at the top maybe he'd have had a different idea, but if I had a mortgage I'd put it on Potts wanting the move rather than the club wanting the money.
The club are definitely in a stable position at the moment, but time will tell how competitive they are. They’re a big club in League One right now, still with a chance of promotion. The Potts departure doesn’t change that. Other sales in this window might alter that though. If they do go up, however, I think the policy would have to change to be truly competitive in the Championship. That’s a big money division and requires serious investment to have a chance of success. It depends what the owners want. It’s difficult to see why they bought the club if it’s just about League One or scrapping for survival in the Championship. Time will tell...
That's a well thought out and good post icer.....what ever happens ....you will never stop the fans having views.......rightly or wrongly....and believe that opinion although never fact is healthy and should be encouraged. Fans are the main stakeholders of the club and mostly will always be there....unlike the players ....they are (sometimes) an asset that is overlooked. The Potts transfer initially looks like we are cashing in....the proof in the pudding is.... who (if anyone) will be his replacement. I guess we just have to trust the suits to do the right thing.....but with opinions from the fans on excellent forums like this one to voice them.
